Orr, Hamilton celebrate signing day at Fort Walton Beach High School

Fort Walton Beach High School held an early signing day Wednesday for two of their star football players, quarterback Harrison Orr and linebacker Zavier Hamilton, coinciding with National Signing Day.

Athletic director Holly McDaniel said Orr and Hamilton made a huge impact in helping turn around the football program under new head coach Bobby Clayton.

“They made a huge impact in just helping us try to turn the corner with this program,” McDaniel said. “With them coming on campus, they had a winning mentality. But it was not only on the field, but in the locker room, in our hallways, and just being a part of the student body.”

Orr transferred to the school in February from Niceville and helped lead a Vikings offensive resurgence this year as starting quarterback. Hamilton came over in March from Navarre and is one of the top linebackers.

• Both were voted team captains for the Vikings.

“They’re awesome athletes and carry themselves so well,” added McDaniel. They’re selfless players and they taught our kids by showing them how to do it and it just made a huge impact on our team and into our school building.” 

Head coach Bobby Clayton praised both players’ work ethics and team-first mentalities. Orr signed to play at Army West Point next year, while Hamilton inked with the University of South Florida. He has graduated early and will be on campus in Tampa in January.

Clayton said the two players embody what a real football player should be.

• “Both of you guys embody the fine example of football players. You’re both well deserving of what you’re doing,” Clayton said.

For Orr, he will always remember how he would hype the team up before each practice and the discipline they had this year.

“Before every practice, I get everyone hyped up, ready to go, ready to play,” he said. “We were really disciplined when it came to little stuff and I think that was what turned it around for us this year. It paid off for sure.”

For Hamilton, he will never forget the summer workouts that included a session with the military that he says truly brought the team together.

• “There’s one specific workout where we all had to drag our face through the sand in order to get to where we needed be and it was a really great experience for all of us,” he said. “That’s really what I feel that brought us together as a team.”

Clayton told the duo that the “hard work is just starting” and it won’t be easy.

“Just make sure you’re in shape,” he said. “They’re not gonna care how much you bench press or squat. They’re gonna want you to be in great shape.” 

Both Orr and Hamilton thanked their parents, family, teammates and the school for welcoming them to the program just this year.